Rift between Seabrook, fire department widening

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, April 12, 2005

That was when the Council approved a measure 6-1 to instruct the city attorney to look into gaining title of all equipment paid for through capital expenditures and bonds.

Council also directed its city staff to locate any record of the SVFD notifying the city that it bought a fire engine.

Two fire trucks are to be delivered to the fire department soon. One of the trucks was purchased by the city while the other was bought by the fire department. At issue is whether the city was notified by the fire department that the second truck would be bought with the proceeds of a specialty fire truck that was returned to the vendor, said Councilman Michael Laible.

Assistant Fire Chief Greg Garrison said his department had told the city during a regularly scheduled Council meeting.

Laible called the fire department actions "a slap in the face as an elected official. If we want to be fair to the citizens, let's start getting control."

Councilman John Buhman said the growth of the city and the need for accountability from the fire department necessitates a paid fire chief and day crew.

Councilman Jack Boteler said that he doesn't see the city taking ownership because of the longstanding tradition and relationship between the city and the fire department, which existed before Seabrook became a city. He also said the heated debate was serving neither.

"This profound discourse is not conducive to a working relationship," he said.

The two trucks cost approximately $400,000 each, according to Garrison. Engine 108, owned by the City of Seabrook, was purchased with bond funds approved by the voters of Seabrook.

Engine 109, said Garrison, was financed within the operating budget of the fire company. This engine will be housed at the El Lago firehouse and should be placed in service after some training is completed soon.

Groundbreaking or not, the fire engine bought by the fire department will sit in a city barn until a contract can be worked out. Seabrook Intermediate School Band will provide entertainment at the groundbreaking for the new fire station at 1850 E. Meyer beginning at 10 a.m.